Draft gear



April 22, 1930. w. H. coTToN 1,755,429

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April 22, 1930ffr l H. coTToN 1,755,429 Y DRAFT GEAR Filed sept. 17, 1925 2 sheets-'sheet .2

Patented Apr. 22, 1930 UNITED STATES WALTER H. COTTON, OF CHICAGO, .ILLNOES, ASSGNOR TO UNION DRAFT GEAR COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOTS, A CORPORATl-'ON OF DELAWARE DRAFT GEAR yApplication led September 17, 1923. Serial No. 663,083.

The invention relates to draft gears for railway cars, its objects being to secure a high degree of eiiiciency and durability.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is hereinafter described and is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a central plan section `of the gear, details of portions of the carto Awhich it is applied being shown in plan;

Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal vertical section of the gear, the rear end of a coupler enclosing it being shown in detail side elevation' F ig. 3 is a plan section ofthe gear under l5 compression, the interior Velements of the gear and details of parts of the car being shown in plan; i

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 and Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are details in perspective of elements of the gear.

A pair of draft or center sills of a railway car are shown at 10, 10; a pair of draft lugs at 11, 11, and of bufing lugs .at 12, 12. The butt of the coupler is designated 13 and the coupler extension or yoke, 14. All of these parts are of any preferred construction and are not involved in the invention.

The improved draft gear comprises y a .0 chambered follower 15 having top and bottom walls 16, 17 and side walls 18, 19; and a follower 20 which isv preferably in the form of a plate. Adjacent faces of the two followers are spaced apartk a ksuitable distance to permit, and limit, the desired maximum compression of the gear.

The principal frictional elements of the gear comprise two groups of flat, intercalating plates, one upon each side of the axis of the gear, and each group comprising a set of plates 21 which normally extend from or substantially from the inner end face of the follower 15, toward the other follower; the other set, 22, extending normally approximately from the follower 20 well into the chamber of the follower 15. The outer plate of each group is in slidable engagement with a side wall of the follower 15.

Interposed between the two groups of 5u plates are a set of wedging elements and shoes. i The central wedging element 23 bears against the follower 2O and, as is plainly shown in Fig. 7 is provided with two sets of wedging faces as 24, 25 and 26, 27. The wedging faces 24 and 26 are formed on the 5;; upper portion of the wedge element and cooperate with a pair of shoes, one of which is shown detached from the gear in Fig. 6. The wedging faces 25 and 27 are formed on the lower portion of the wedge element and co- "5.o operate with a similar pair of shoes. Each of the four' shoes, as 28, is provided with wedging faces 29, 30, cooperating with a pair of the wedging faces of the wedge element. The outer face of each of thev shoes is flat. G5 interposed between the shoes 28 and each f group of friction plates is a wedging friction plate 31, the outer face of which is parallel to the axis of the gear, theinner face taking the form of a long inclined plane. "lo The spring elements of the gear are helical inform and are located on the horizontal median line of the gear, the various wedging and friction elements of the gear being either bifurcated or spaced apart for their accom- :1J modation. To this end the wedging element 23 comprises a base block which bears against the follower 20 and upper andvlower projecting arms which carry the lwedge faces; the cooperating shoes 28 are four in number '55 and are arranged two above and two below the spring chamber.. The plates 81 have their thicker ends against the end' wall of the follower 15 and are bifurcated, as are also all of the friction plates of the two groups.

The springsare shown as live in number. The central spring 32 is located on the axis of the gear and reacts between the end wall of thefollower 15 and a spring seat 33, which extends upwardly and downwardly and bears i. against shoulders 34 formedv on the shoes 28 and is slotted from its ends vaspplainly, shown in Fig. 4 to provide clearance for the two arms of the wedging element 23. Two of the springs 35, 86, are located at one side of the F515 axis of the gear and react between the plate 37 seated at the inner end of the slot in one of the plates 31 and the several friction plates 21'. rlhe other two springs, 38, 39, are located on the opposite side of the axis of the gear iii and are similarly associated with the other plate 31 and the friction plates At the opposite end of the gear the springs 35 to 39 are seated against a bar l0 which rejects through the slots of the wedging element 23 and the several plates 22, and is engaged by all of these elements.

On the application of bi1- fling stresses the follower 15 is moved backward, carrying with it the plates 21 and 31. rlhe shoes 28 tend to move bacliwardly under the influence of the frictional engagement of the plates 31, such movement however being resisted by the several wedging faces of the element 23 and under the influence of these wedges and of the long inclined faces of the plates 31 the latter` plates are pressed outwardly, compressing the two groups of friction plates against the side walls of the follower. The plates 721 are moved inwardly by the follower 15 and slide, underheavy friction, between theplates 22. The latter plates, which normallyare preferably slightly spaced from the follower 2O are carried backward by the friction until they maire contact with this follower. All ofthe springs are' put under compression. Y

lhen pressure is relieved, the parts of the gear are restored to normal position by the expansion of the springs. Y v

Under stresses of draft the action is the saine but in the reverse direction', the 4elements which in bufflfng have been carried backward' remaining stationary andthe elements which in butling have remained substantially sta'- tionary being carried forward. p

Various detailed changes the form and arrangement of the parts may be made within thescope of the invention.

I claim i- 1. In a draft gear, in combination, a pair of opposed followers, two sets ofcooperating wedging and frictionelements interposed between the followers,`said friction elements be'- ing bifurcated to uprovide a spring chamber located on the horizontal median portion 'of the gear, meansv for resisting the wedgin'g action of said elements, and a series of springs housed within the chamber and reacting be'- tween the named cooperating velements'.

2. In a draft gear, in combination, a. pair of followers, one of which is chamberecha group of bifurcated intercalating friction plates within said 'chambered follower, means' for relatively advancing the platea-lateral pressure creating means for forcing said plates into frictional contact with each other and with said chambered follower, anda spring housed between the arms of the plates for resisting such movement. i Y

3,. In a draft gear, in combination, apair'of followers, a group oftwo sets of friction plates at each side of the gear between said followers, one set of said plates being asso-V ciated with one of said followersV andthe otherwith the other follower, a bifurcated iif'edging element between said groups of plates, friction shoes, having wedging faces cooperating `respectively with the two arms of the wedging element for creating lateral pres-,sare on said plates during the compression of said gear, means for resisting said lateral pressure, and a spring located between the aims'of the wedging element for resisting longitudinal movement of the named' parts. o

Ll. In a draft 'gea-r, in combination, a chamberedmfollower, a follower opposed thereto, two groups of intercalating bifurcated friction-plates on; opposite sides of the axis of the gear, the sets V of plates constituting each group :ero-operating with 'different followers arentral wedgingelement cooperating witli one o f the followers, friction shoes having faces cooperating with the wedging element, a tapering plate'interpos'ed between the shoes `,and each group of friction plates, and resilient means for resisting compression of said gear and for restoring the lparts to normal position after compression.

In adraft gear, inv combination, a chambered follower,a followerV 'opposed thereto', two groups of intercalating friction plates on opposite sides of the axis of the gea-r, the sets of plates constituting each ygroup (io-operatwith different followers, a central wedoing element cooperating with one ofthe foallowers, friction shoes having 'wedging faces cooperating with the we'dging element, and a tapering plate interposed between the shoes and each group of friction plates, all of the named parts being bifurcated or spaced to provide a spring pocket on the horizontal median portion of -the gear, and springs liousedfwithin 'such pocket for resisting tlie relative longitudinal movement lof coop-brat'- ing parte. Y

e nl a nation Shock `absorbing meetanisin, the combination with a container having interiorflongitudinally extending friction andan integral inner end wall, of a ifilnrality of relatively stationary bifurc'ate'd friction plates within said container and extending' from the outer to tlieinner end thereof and beari vlgloosel'y on said inner end' wall o1 the container; a plurality of relatively movable bifurcated frictionp'lates cooperable with' the friction .surfaces of the container and said-stationary plates; centrally disposed pr'essure-transinitting and lateralu pressurecreating'ineans cooperable with said friction plates; andl va spring resistance within the sp'ace formed by the furcations of said plates.

.n Inra draft gear, a pair of followers, a groupof two Vsets o'f'i'nterca'lated vplates at each side of said 'gear Vbetween said followers a-ndladaapted to be engaged by said followers upon compression of the Igear, cooperating wedge element-s between saidlplates for creating lateral ressur'eon the cent-ral portion of l) said plates yadjacent to the transverse axis thereof, means for resisting said pressure, a. plurality of springs for resisting the inward movement of the parts during compression and for restoring the parts to normal position after compression, said springs being arranged in a rOW and each spring extending longitudinally of the gear, and said roW eX- tending transversely thereof.

WALTER H. COTTON. 

